The spalling mechanism of fire exposed concrete

The spalling damage observed to concrete structures after severe fire exposure has been the topic of scientific research for the past decades. This phenomenon is commonly characterised by the sudden and in some cases violent breaking off of concrete pieces from the cross-section. In this thesis the derivation and the numerical results of a...

Limit analysis discussion of design methods for fracture of timber dowel joints loaded perpendicular to grain

The results of an investigation of splitting of joints of [1] are used for a discussion of design methods and as necessary answer on comments and for confirmation of the extended fracture mechanics theory which accounts for the part of the external energy which is needed for plastic dissipation at the dowels, (which cause the crack opening). It...

Finite element analyses of stable crack growh in thin sheet material

This study deals with fracture mechanics aspects of mode 1 crack growth under montonically increasing (quasi-static) loads. Using the finite element method stable crack growth and the plastic deformation fields associated with this process are analyzed. A two parameter approach is proposed for a description of initiation and subsequent stable...